Chrysanthemum plant named Lynn

ABSTRACT

A Chrysanthemum plant named Lynn particularly characterized by its flat capitulum form; decorative capitulum type; light purple ray floret color with a distinct darker red-purple center of the flower; diameter across face of capitulum of 51 to 60 mm when fully opened; branching pattern is spreading and prolific, with 7 to 8 breaks after pinch when grown outside under natural daylength in fall flowerings, and 6 breaks when grown in 10 cm pots for spring flowerings; natural season flower date of September 3 to 5 when planting rooted cuttings on June 21 to 23 in Salinas, Calif., and of October 5 to 9 when planting rooted cuttings June 15 to June 18 in Hightstown, N.J.; flowering response of 47 days after rooting in no light/no shade programs in spring in Salinas; plant height, of 25 cm when grown in fall under natural daylength with no growth regulators in New Jersey, and of 15 to 18 cm when grown in 10 cm pots in spring with 0 to 1 application of 2500 ppm B-9 SP; and durable, uniform performance.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum, botanically known as Dandranthema grandiflora, andreferred to by the cultivar name Lynn.

Lynn, identified as 9349 (88-264001), was originated from a cross madeby Cornelis P. VanderBerg in a controlled breeding program in Salinas,Calif., in 1988.

The female parent of Lynn was the cultivar identified as Ginger,disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,403, and described as a flatdecorative garden mum with an orange ray floret color and a bronze-redcenter of the flower; flower diameter of 57 to 64 mm; natural seasonflower date of August 24 to 28 in Salinas, Calif., and of September 24to October 1 in Hightstown, N.J.; a flowering response in spring of 43to 46 days; plant height of 33 to 41 cm in fall natural seasonflowerings in New Jersey, and of 18 to 20 cm in spring flowerings in 10cm pots with 1 to 2 applications of 2500 ppm B-9 SP in Salinas.

The male parent of Lynn was an unnamed seedling, identified as 5924(84M38004) and described as a pink decorative garden mum with many discflorets; flower diameter of 64 mm; natural season flower data of August24 to September 4 in Salinas, Calif., and of September 24 to October 3in Hightstown, N.J.; and a plant height of 30 to 33 cm in fall naturalseason flowerings in New Jersey with no growth regulators. The maleparent of Lynn was discarded from the program in May 1988.

Lynn was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within theprogeny of the stated cross by Cornelis P. VanderBerg in November 1988,in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Lynn was accomplished whenvegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in January1989 in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif., by techniciansworking under supervision of Cornelis P. VanderBerg.

Horticultural examination of controlled flowerings of successiveplantings has shown that the unique combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for Lynn are firmly fixed and are retained throughsuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

Lynn has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions.The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such astemperature, light intensity and daylength, without, however, anyvariance in the genotype.

The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plantsgrown in Salinas, Calif., and in Hightstown, N.J. Rooted cuttings wereestablished in soil and maintained outdoors under the naturaltemperature and daylength prevailing during June through October. Springflowerings were conducted in Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditionswhich approximate those generally used in commercial greenhouse practicefor small pot spring garden mum production.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Lynn, which, in combination, distinguishthis Chrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Flat capitulum form.

2. Decorative capitulum type.

3. Light purple ray floret color with a distinct darker red-purplecenter of the flower.

4. Diameter across face of capitulum of 51 to 60 mm when fully opened.

5. Branching pattern is spreading and prolific, with 7 to 8 breaks afterpinch when grown outside under natural daylength in fall flowerings, and6 breaks when grown in 10 cm pots for spring flowerings.

6. Natural season flower date of September 3 to 5 when planting rootedcuttings on June 21 to 23 in Salinas, Calif., and of October 5 to 9 whenplanting rooted cuttings June 15 to June 18 in Hightstown, N.J.

7. Flowering response of 47 days after rooting in no light/no shadeprograms in spring in Salinas.

8. Plant height of 25 cm when grown in fall under natural daylength withno growth regulators in New Jersey, and of 15 to 18 cm when grown in 10pots in spring with 0 to 1 application of 2500 ppm B-9 SP.

9. Durable, uniform performance.

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical inflorescence andleaf characteristics of Lynn, with the colors being as nearly true aspossible with illustrations of this type.

Sheet 1 is a color photograph of Lynn grown as a pinched spray pot mumwith 1 cutting in a 10 cm pot.

Sheet 2 is a black and white photograph of three views of theinflorescence of Lynn.

Sheet 3 is a black and white photograph showing the upper and undersides of the leaves of Lynn at 3 stages of development (mature,intermediate and immature). In sheets 2 and 3 a measuring tape incentimeters has been added.

Of the commercial cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar incomparison to Lynn is the cultivar identified as Debonair, disclosed inU.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,225. Reference is made to attached Chart A, whichcompares certain characteristics of Lynn to the same characteristics ofDebonair.

Similar traits are capitulum form and type and plant height in springflowering. Lynn has a lighter ray floret color, a smaller diameter ofcapitulum, a more prolific branching pattern, a later flowering date innatural season fall flowerings, and a shorter plant height in fallflowerings when compared to Debonair.

In the following description color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart. The color values were determined onplant material grown as a pinched spray pot mum in a 10 cm pot inSalinas, Calif. on Apr. 15, 1991.

Classification:

Botanical.--Dendranthema grandiflora cv. Lynn.

Commercial.--Flat decorative spray pot mum and garden mum.

INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat.

Type.--Decorative.

Diameter across face.--51 to 60 mm when fully opened.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters).--Light purple,with distinct darker red-purple center of the flower.

Color (upper surface).--75B to 75C, with center of flower 70B to 70C.

Color (under surface).--75B to 75C.

Shape.--Cross section of young ray florets concave, longitudinal sectionof outer ray florets convex.

C. Corolla of disc florets:

Color (mature).--9A.

Color (immature).--144C.

D. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present on disc florets only; very few, no pollen.

Gynoecium.--Present on both ray and disc florets.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Height.--25 cm when grown in fall under natural daylength in New Jerseywith no growth regulators, and of 15 to 18 cm when grown in 10 cm potsin spring in Salinas with 0 to 1 application of 2500 ppm B-9 SP.

Branching pattern.--Spreading and prolific, with 7 to 8 breaks afterpinch when grown outside under natural daylength in fall flowerings, andwith 6 breaks when grown in 10 cm pots for spring flowerings.

B. Foliage

Color (upper surface).--147A.

Color (under surface).--147B.

Shape.--See photograph.

                  CHART A                                                         ______________________________________                                        CULTIVAR      LYNN          DEBONAIR                                          ______________________________________                                        Ray floret color                                                                            Light purple with                                                                           Purple                                                          darker center                                                   Capitulum form and                                                                          Flat decorative                                                                             Flat decorative                                   type                                                                          Diameter across face                                                                        51 to 60 mm   64 to 70 mm                                       of capitulum                                                                  Branching pattern                                                                           Spreading and Spreading                                                       prolific                                                        Natural season flower                                                         date:                                                                         in Salinas, CA                                                                              Sept. 3 to 5  Aug. 26 to 31                                     in Hightstown Oct. 5 to 9   Sept. 24 to 30                                    Controlled response                                                                         45 to 49 days 49 to 53 days                                     Plant height:                                                                 in natural season fall                                                                      25 cm         30 to 38 cm                                       in 10 cm pots spring                                                                        15 to 18 cm   15 to 20 cm                                       COMPARISONS MADE OF PLANTS GROWN AS                                           UNDER NATURAL SEASON OUTDOOR CONDITIONS                                       IN SALINAS, CALIFORNIA AND IN HIGHTSTOWN,                                     NEW JERSEY AND IN SPRING FLOWERING PROGRAMS                                   IN SALINAS, CALIFORNIA                                                        ______________________________________                                    

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named Lynn, asdescribed and illustrated.